tell Lord Chandos what you intend
doing," said Mr. Sewell. "Not that he could make either resistance or
defense--the law is absolute."

"What will the end be?" asked my lady.

"The marriage will be declared null and void; they will be compelled to
separate now; but again he has the remedy in his own hand. If he chooses
to remain true and constant to her, the very next day after he becomes
of age he can remarry her, and then she becomes his lawful wife; if he
forgets her the only remedy for her would be money compensation."

"It shall be the business of my life to see that he does forget her,"
said my lady.

"You can commence proceedings at once," said Mr. Sewell. "You can file
your petition to-morrow."

"It will make the whole matter public," hesitated my lady.

"Yes, that is the one drawback. After all it does not matter," said Mr.
Sewell, "many young men make simpletons of themselves in the same way.
People do not pay much attention."

Lord Lanswell looked at his wife's handsome, inflexible face.

"It is a desperate thing to do, Lucia," he said, "for Lance loves her
very dearly."

"It was a desperate action on his part to marry without consulting us,"
said my lady.

"He will be of age next June," said the earl, "do you think that he will
be true to her?"

"No," said the countess, proudly. "I can safely pledge you my word that
he will not."

CHAPTER XII.

"THEY WILL NOT FORGIVE ME."

"Thank Heaven," said the countess, "that the matter can be set straight.
If there had been no remedy I should have lost my reason over it. The
boy must have been mad or blinded, or very probably drawn into it in
some disgraceful fashion or other."

My lady was triumphant, her handsome face lighted with satisfaction, but
the earl looked grave. The lawyer had taken his leave, and they still
remained to discuss matters. Lord Lanswell did not seem so well pleased;
he went up to my lady where she was standing.

"Lucia," he began, "do you think that if we succeed in parting these two
we shall do quite right?"

"Right," cried my lady. "I shall think it one of the most virtuous
actions of my life."

"Well," said the earl, "I am sorry that I cannot quite agree with you.
No doubt this marriage is vexatious enough, but whether it is well to
obliterate all traces of it, or rather to do away with it altogether, is
quite another thing."

"I am the best judge of what is right in this case," said my lady,
haughtily; "I w